Names & Faces

Associated Press

Published
4:00 am PST, Saturday, December 5, 2009

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2009 file photo, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani urges supporters to vote for Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Chris Christie, left, in West Milford, N.J. A spokeswoman for Giuliani insists he still hasn't made up his mind and won't be shy to say so when he does. Christie defeated Gov. Jon S. Corzine and Independent Chris Daggett in the Nov. 3 election. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File) less

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2009 file photo, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani urges supporters to vote for Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Chris Christie, left, in West Milford, N.J. A spokeswoman ... more

Photo: Mel Evans, AP

Photo: Mel Evans, AP

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FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2009 file photo, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani urges supporters to vote for Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Chris Christie, left, in West Milford, N.J. A spokeswoman for Giuliani insists he still hasn't made up his mind and won't be shy to say so when he does. Christie defeated Gov. Jon S. Corzine and Independent Chris Daggett in the Nov. 3 election. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File) less

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2009 file photo, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani urges supporters to vote for Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Chris Christie, left, in West Milford, N.J. A spokeswoman ... more

The mayor who cleaned up Times Square is setting his sights on Rio de Janeiro. Giuliani says Rio can become a safe city before it hosts the 2016 Olympics, and his consulting firm will be paid to help prove it, offering security advice to Rio Gov. Sergio Cabral. Giuliani visited a slum in Rio this week and praised the city's efforts to bring order to the violence-plagued areas where drug traffickers hold sway. Giuliani oversaw a drastic drop in crime in New York during his tenure as mayor from 1994 to 2002. Backers attributed the improvement to his zero-tolerance stance.

Marco Scutaro

A's fans stung by the departure of the infielder will have a harder time ignoring the pain next season, now that the Red Sox have signed Scutaro as their shortstop. Boston announced Friday it has a two-year deal with Scutaro, with a club option for 2012. Scutaro, who left the A's after the 2007 season, had career highs in 2009 with a .282 average, 12 homers and 60 RBIs for Toronto. The Red Sox also have former Stanford infielder Jed Lowrie at shortstop. He will have a chance to prove he is healthy and productive enough to serve as a backup or force his way into a trade. Since the Red Sox traded Nomar Garciaparra at the 2004 deadline, they've had seven shortstops start at least 50 games.

Pete Sampras

Bay Area fans will get another chance to see the 14-time major champion in February in the SAP Open at HP Pavilion. As he did the past two years, Sampras will begin the tournament with an exhibition match (Feb. 8). He'll play Fernando Verdasco. Verdasco is scheduled to play for real, too, in the tournament, as are Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Mardy Fish, Taylor Dent, Sam Querrey and Tommy Haas.